this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2025
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Firefox

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Firefox app on android. Never seen this before until today. But Firefox is now putting ads in the app?

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[–] cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 85 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (4 children)

settings > homepage > shortcuts > uncheck 'sponsored shortcuts'

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 5 points 19 minutes ago

Opt-out is still toxic

[–] brianpeiris@lemmy.ca 16 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

I think people need to appreciate that Mozilla is probably the only company in the world that will allow you to turn off ads like this, for free.

[–] mindbleach@sh.itjust.works 3 points 31 minutes ago

Low friggin' bar.

[–] calliope@retrolemmy.com 6 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I turn everything off in Firefox’s new page except search! I always found the news stuff distracting too.

that's typically what i do but on desktop i turn off search too since a) i use the awesomebar primarily and b) my ntp is a background and i'd rather see that for a cleaner look :)

[–] XLE@piefed.social 2 points 6 hours ago

You should be able to turn off "web search" too if you go to the page mentioned in the parent comment.

(Note the Edit icon in the corner of the homepage does not give you all the options. It used to let you turn off sponsored content, but Mozilla removed that a couple versions ago.)

[–] RFKJrsBrainworm@sh.itjust.works 6 points 9 hours ago

Thankies....you solved a problem I didn't know I had

[–] Core_of_Arden@lemmy.ml 20 points 9 hours ago (5 children)

So, every real alternative to Firefox, is most likely based on all the work that Mozilla has done on Firefox. People get it for free, and yet they crumple and whine, when Mozilla tries to get the money to keep steady development going.

I want it free, I want them to do all the work, and then I'm going to use another browser, based on their work, because I don't like that great development cost money - and I won't pay! Buhuu!

Get over yourself. Mozilla does great work for users worldwide. Don't like to see ads? Then start donating! Grow TF up, and realize that nothing is free in a capitalistic world!

[–] azdle@news.idlestate.org 13 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Donating to Mozilla doesn't change any behavior in Firefox.

Also, donations to Mozilla don't go towards Firefox development. As far as I'm aware the only way to "give" money to Mozilla Corp (who work on Firefox, as opposed to the Mozilla Foundation) is to subscribe to the VPN service they resell.

[–] Core_of_Arden@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago

It might... But I guess it's easier to just badmouth Firefox.

[–] limer@lemmy.ml 8 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I prefer to view this as a socialist. Firefox is the work of tens of thousands of laborers, and is not owned by an out of touch upper class. Yet, they are mismanaging it.

It took me time to realize that I, a highly trained engineer, was a laborer and have similar issues to most people the last few centuries.

It is literally needed that the workers of Firefox rise up and revolt before the entire project is harmed beyond repair

[–] Core_of_Arden@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago

That might be... Then you should work for that.

[–] FuyuhikoDate@feddit.org 3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I would pay for Firefox. The same way I donate every year to Thunderbird!

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[–] calliope@retrolemmy.com 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (7 children)

My question is: can it be turned off?

Mozilla has been trying to get me to look at news or use Pocket for years now, but it’s easy to turn off.

Edit to add: my above reference to turn off two different settings I’ve turned off for years now seemed obvious to me that I assumed it could be turned off.

Lot of people didn’t read past the first sentence.

Oooh this is lemmy.ml. Fuck gross bye

[–] golden_zealot@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 hours ago

Goodbye, have a good day.

[–] isyasad@lemmy.world 5 points 5 hours ago

Settings>Homepage>Sponsored shortcuts

I turned it off a long time ago, I don't think this is new.

[–] verdigris@lemmy.ml 3 points 6 hours ago

Yes. I'm pretty sure you can disable sponsored suggestions in the options, or you can also just delete the individual sponsored options. I've not seen one of these in the last 4 years.

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[–] ravenaspiring@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

While I get the sentiment, I think you are missing the two pieces here. One is that advertising is not the only method of monetization which can support something like Firefox. The second is that advertising is by it's nature influence. Both in influence over the purchaser and reader. It's an influence we should not approve of in both cases, without better boundaries.

[–] Core_of_Arden@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago

Oh, do enlighten me. How should they get som money otherwise?

I think Mozilla loathe ads as much as you and I... But do enlighten os, how can they earn enough money otherwise?

[–] markz@suppo.fi 110 points 12 hours ago (7 children)

I think those have been there since forever?

[–] Tug@kbin.earth 16 points 11 hours ago (3 children)

This should be towards the top. I've been on FF4A for years now and they've had those links there the whole time. You can toggle them off if yku don't want them.

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[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 69 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

As has always been the case, you can turn off Sponsored Shortcuts and Sponsored Stories.

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[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 19 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (2 children)

I didn't mind the occasional sponsor or two for many years. Then one day they went over the line.

Yeah I know i should be on librefox/waterfox. Im lazy okay?

[–] verdigris@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 hours ago

You can disable them, but also I'm pretty sure the default behavior is just to fill extra space if you have less than 8 pinned shortcuts. Your single shortcut is why there are so many ads.

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[–] Zoldyck@lemmy.world 22 points 11 hours ago

This isn't new afaik. You can disable it in settings

[–] Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml 5 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Making a browser is expensive (especially with such incompetent management), they need to make money somehow.

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